There have been too many times when I’ve seen anglers haphazardly buy braided fishing line. It might sound a little crazy because most folks think all braided line is the same but I can, without question, tell you that it’s all very different. Although it might all look the same on the spool, each different brand seems to have strengths and weaknesses that can potentially make a really big difference on the water.
I’ve had an opportunity to fish the Strike King Contra Braided Line for the past several months and after thousands of casts, I can confidently say that this is some really impressive braided line for both finesse- and power-fishing situations.
Fishing line can be a little boring to read about, so I’ll try to get through this quickly. I can promise you, though, that this is a line you’ll want to seriously consider adding to your collection.
I don’t know how you might feel about it but I can’t stand putting new line on my reels. I do it, of course, because it’s very important but it’s a chore I’ve never really enjoyed. When it comes to casting reels, I’ll have my wife hold the spool on a screwdriver or something and get it knocked out pretty quick.
But man, when I’m putting line on a spinning reel, I get mad as a hornet sometimes. Due to line twist issues—especially fluorocarbon and monofilament—it’s best to lay your spool flat on the ground (normally label-up in most situations) and reel it onto the spool to avoid any obnoxious line management problems.
Strike King Contra Braided Line comes on a spool equipped with a Sidewinder spooling tool which has been an enormous help for me when re-spooling my reels. Essentially it’s a suction cup on one side of the spool which allows you to easily spool both spinning and casting reels. You don’t need your buddies, spouse or anything of the sort; just stick the suction cup vertically to the side of your boat console for casting reels or horizontally to any flat surface to quickly spool your spinning reels.
Particularly when it comes to spinning reels, you won’t have to chase your spools of line all over the garage floor as it periodically snags on the edges of the factory spool. This is a big-time plus for me and something I sincerely hope other fishing line brands adopt sooner rather than later. It might sound silly to some of you but I’m telling you, this cool little tweak saves a bunch of time and irritation.
Braided line isn’t necessarily known for its smoothness, so it takes a lot for me to brag about a braid being smooth. Most of it squeals and screeches as it comes through both hard and soft cover which, especially in pressured fisheries, can spook wary bass and ruin your chances of getting a bite.
The Contra Braided Line is actually made from the highest-quality Japanese fibers which might sound like an eye roller to most folks (I totally get it), but I honestly think you’ll notice a difference within the first few casts. Whether you’re dragging a shaky head through a brush pile or ripping a lipless crankbait through submerged vegetation, you’re going to quickly notice how quietly this line comes through your guides.
It’s going to be tough to find a more suitable, all-around braided line for this price point. In the interest of full disclosure, professional angler Andy Montgomery played a big part in designing this line and he is a friend of mine. I know how particular he is about fishing tackle, whether it’s hard baits, soft plastics, rods, reels or line. He’s an honest man, a cattle farmer and doesn’t believe in a bunch of outlandish marketing—that’s the kind of guy I like and probably why we get along so well.
But if you look at the price point with this line, you can quickly understand Andy’s apprecation and respect for the common, hard-working angler. This line will get you the same performance of some lines that cost twice as much. So don’t let the low price tag fool you with this line. It’s going to perform wonderfully on both your spinning and casting reels.
Whether you’re skipping baits underneath boat docks or trying to cast a lightweight shaky head into the wind towards a sunken brush pile on a point, I’m fairly certain you’ll appreciate the manageability of this braided line. I have tested braided line until I’m blue in the face and a lot of it likes to jump off the spool and randomly form knots when fishing in breezy conditions. That’s no fun and it flat-out stinks to deal with while you’re trying to fish.
I’ve noticed that this Strike King Contra Braided Line behaves really well on the spool without any randon wind knots or loops. A lot of folks think you have you spend a pile of money to get a braided line with these qualities but after my testing, I think this affordable option will give you those qualities without any issues.
I highly recommend this braided line for both finesse and power fishing. You can get it at a good price, it’s in stock and it offers an excellent blend of strength, sensitivity and toughness. Don’t sleep on this one.
